Devices for applying stockings or the like



Jan. 966 D. MINNEMA ETAL 3,

DEVICES FOR APPLYING STOCKINGS OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 12, 1963 FIG. I

INVENTORS 4b DIENA MINNEMA 62453 W Y W ATTORNEYS JOHN MINNEMA JR 7 3,227,335, DEVICES FOR APPLYING STOCKINGS, p OR THE LIKE, Diena Minnema, 159 Manchester Ave., North Haledon,

N.J., and John Minnema, Jr.,' 36 Summit Ave Hawthorne, NJ.

Filed Nov. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 322,622

2 Claims. (Cl. 223- 111) The present invention relates to devices for applying stockings, or the like.

It is common knowledge that many aged or variously afflicted or disabled persons find it difiicult or impossible to put on hose, as stockings, socks, etc., without aid from another person. Although this: applies especially to elastic or surgical stockings, or the like, it is true also in some cases regarding apparel 'hose. These'diificulties commonly exist where persons cannot stoop or bend or can do so only with greatdiscomfort. t p

An object of the present invention accordingly has been to provide a simple and inexpensive device by the use of which stockings, socks, elastichoseand the like may be drawn on without aid by persons, otherwise capable, who for any reason are unable to stoop or bend sufficiently to do this in the normal manner. H V

A further object hasbeen to provide a stocking applying device which can be usedby a person, unaided, not only to draw on hose, or. the like, but also to removethe same, regardless of the type ,oristyle" of hose involved.

A further object of the invention has been to provide a device of simple construction for applying stockings or the like which can be used repeatedly without injury to the stockings; which requires no accessory or cooperating additions or special parts secured or attachedto the stockings; and which has nomoving parts requiring maintenance or repair.

In general, a device according to my invention comprises an elongated relatively rigid handle or shaft conveniently including a hand hold at one end. A ring of rigid material, as metal, plastic, etc. is secured to the other end and positioned in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the shaft or an extension thereof with the ring, in effect, extending laterally and offset from said end of the shaft. Said ring is provided with a plurality of angularly spaced prongs extending radially from one side of its plane and having their free ends rounded and their bases secured to said ring, said prongs being directed upwardly in a curved pathto bring their free outer ends beyond and above the. outer peripheral surface of said ring; and said outer ring surface extends outwardly beyond the outer surfaces of said base portions of the prongs where they join the ring. The arrangement of parts is such that in use the prongs and ring will support the leg portion of a stocking when arranged in a roll and closely engaging outer face portions of said prongs and with the unrolled ankle portions of the stocking bearing on said outer surface of the ring. As so arranged, the stocking is in position to readily receive the wearers foot when inserted through the ring and may be unrolled in place on the Wearers leg as the device is pulled upwardly while the wearers foot, thus engaged in the foot of the stocking, is resting on the floor or other support.

Other objects and distinctive features of the present invention not above referred to will appear from the following specification and claims and from the accompanying drawings wherein is shown a preferred embodirnent thereof incorporated in a stocking applying device as described in said specification. The showing so made is not intended to be either exhaustive or as limiting the scope of the subject invention. The purpose here is to 3,227,335 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 stocking leg preparatory to drawing the stocking onto the wearers leg; and I FIG. 5, a plan view similar to FIG. 3 on enlarged scale with the rolled stocking applied to the ring as in FIGJ} and showing a wearers foot inserted through the ring and the rolled portion of the stocking and extending into the unrolled ankle and foot portions of the stocking preliminary to drawing the stocking upward to final, unrolled position on the wearers leg. ,Referring to the drawings, an elongated shaft of relatively rigid material carries a ring 12 at its bottom end and, at its top end, FIG. 2, ahandhold 11 whereof the side and tip end surfaces are of rounded contour. In viewof the intended manner of using this device, ring 12 is advantageously circular and of aninside diameter sulficient to permit easy passage of a persons foot, ankle and knee] therethrough; and the shaft 10 is long enough to enable a user, when gripping the handhold 11, to bring ring 12 into position under his foot without stooping or bending. p l

The shaft 10 extends upwardly, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, from ring 12 in a direction slightly inclined rearwardly, as seen in FIG. 1, and slightly inclined laterally, as seen in FIG. 2 but with said ring disposed in a plane which is substantially normal to the shaft axis. The bottom end of shaft 10 includes a short connecting portion 13, FIG. 3, positioned substantially in the plane of ring 12 and which extends inwardly from an inner surface portion of said ring. This arrangement produces an advantageous relationship of the parts where ring 12 and shaft 10 are formed from a single length of wirelike material, for example.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 3, ring 12 is fitted with a plurality, as five, for example, of prongs 14, 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d, each having a rounded tip end. Prongs 14 and 14d are angularly spaced in opposite directions from shaft 10 approximately 60. And adjacent ones of the remaining prongs are also angularly spaced from each other approximately 60".

As seen in FIG. 2, the bases of said prongs are secured to ring 12 in such position that the outer or circumferential surface of ring 12 extends outwardly beyond said bases and lower end portions of the outwardly exposed surfaces of said prongs. However, as seen in FIG. 2, free end portions of each of the prongs extend upwardly and radially outwardly in a curved path, thus being arranged and adapted, as a group, to be engaged in use by inner surface portions of roll 16 of the stocking leg which is thus supported in operative position to be applied to the users leg. The shapes, positions and dimension-s of said prongs 14, 14a, etc. are such that their outer end portions overlie and extend across roll 16 when the stocking is mounted in operative position encircling outer surface portions of ring 12 and said prongs, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In a typical case, as where a persons physical infirmity or disability prevents bending the legs or back, the device above described may advantageously be used in the following manner. The shaft 10 is held in position between the users thighs or knees with ring 12 in up position, i.e.,

with prongs 14, 14a, etc. directed downwardly. The leg portion of the stocking, FIGS. 4 and 5, starting at the top edge, is rolled outwardly'on itself 'to'form'ro'll' 16' terminating approximately at or just above the ankle zone 15 of. the. stocking. Roll 16 is now engaged with the device in a position to snugly embrace outwardly exposed surface portions of prongs 14, 14a, etc. between the free ends thereof and ring 12. With roll 16 in this position, the upper end of the unrolled ankle portion 15 of the stocking embraces or is, in effect, stretched over ring 12 with the foot portion of the stocking, FIG. 5, hanging free. In this posture, the stocking is now engaged on the applying device in condition to receive the wearers foot and to be drawn up and unrolled over thewearers leg.

For this purpose, the user grasps handle 11 and brings ring 12 with the rolled stocking engaged thereon into a position under his foot, or so that he may now insert his foot, as in FIG. 5, through ring 12 and roll 16 into part 15 and the foot of the stocking. As shown in the'drawings, prong 14d is advantageously distinguished by being colored, as red. The back seam, or similarly positioned part, of the rolled stocking is placed to approximately register with this prong. If the user now places or has his foot resting on the floor, he unrolls the stocking into normal wearing position around his leg by pulling shaft 10 upwardly to move ring 12 and the rolled portion of 'the stocking upwardly around his leg to the desired extent, or until roll 16 is unrolled, whereupon the stocking comes into normal applied condition on the users leg and the top edge thereof disengages from ring 12 and prongs 14, 14a etc. which may conveniently be pushed downwardly by shaft 10 and so disengaged from the users leg and foot.

To remove a stocking or the like, the top end or handhold 11 of shaft 10 is inserted between the users leg and the top edge'of the stocking and is pushed downwardly. Thus, when the shaft 10 is pushed down a sufficient distance, handhold 11 enters the foot portion of the stocking; and continued downward advance thereof, enables the user, without aid, to disengage the stocking completely from his leg and foot,

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the drawings, it appears that a device embodying my invention provides for aged or disabled persons,

longitudinal axis of the shaft, a plurality of angularly spaced prongs on said ring disposed at one side of and extending upwardly from said plane, each of said prongs being of rounded surface contour at its sides and free end and secured at its base to said ring and curving radically outwardly to bring its free end beyond the periphery of said ring, the peripheral surface of the ring extending outwardly beyond the outwardly exposed surface of said base portions of the prongs adjacent to said ring.

2. Stocking applying and removing device according to claim 1 and wherein said shaft has a hand hold at its opposite end and the tip end and side surfaces of said handhold are of rounded contour surfaces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 881,163 3/1908 Spiess 2231l1 2,894,669 7/ 1959 Silken 2231 11 3,070,271 12/ 1962 Kennedy 2231 11 FOREIGN PATENTS 97,131 11/1960 Norway.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. STOCKING APPLYING DEVICE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SHAFT, A RING SECURED AT ONE END THEREOF EXTENDING LATERALLY THEREFROM IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF ANGULARLY SPACED PRONGS ON SAID RING DISPOSED AT ONE SIDE OF AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID PLANE, EACH OF SAID PRONGS BEING OF ROUNDED SURFACE CONTOUR AT ITS SIDES AND FREE END AND SECURED AT ITS BASE TO SAID RING AND CURVING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY TO BRING ITS FREE BEYOND THE PERIPHERY OF 